1 Gouritz WMA Study: Wetlands Mark Rountree Fluvius Environmental Consulting

Background: RDM and wetlands DWA must balance protection and sustainable utilisation of water resources (including wetlands) The National Water Act of 1998 provides for the protection of significant water resources by means of reserving water to maintain ecosystems (“Reserve”) with statements to describe the desired ecological condition of water resources (“EcoSpecs”). 2

WULA applications (wetlands and within 500m) RapidIntermediateComprehensiveGenericSite Specific Full Reserve (PES, EIS, EWR’s) RDM protection measures (PES, EIS) Risk, Importance, Cost, Confidence Ease of application, no. of studies EcoSpecsReserves Desktop

Background: RDM and wetlands DWA must balance protection and sustainable utilisation of water resources (including wetlands) The National Water Act of 1998 provides for the protection of significant water resources by means of reserving water to maintain ecosystems (“Reserve”) with statements to describe the desired ecological condition of water resources (“EcoSpecs”). The Chief Directorate: Resource Directed Measures (CD:RDM) within the DWA is tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that these protection measures are determined before licensing applications can be processed. 4

Purpose of the study is to generate information and data to assist the CD:RDM with the management and regulation of use of wetlands in the Gouritz Water Management Area Gouritz WMA Study: Wetlands 5

Purpose of the study is to generate information and data to assist the CD:RDM with the management and regulation of use of wetlands in the Gouritz Water Management Area Purpose of this presentation is to 1) outline the approach proposed to assess wetlands for this study, and 2) to request assistance in identifying available wetlands data and any high priority/stressed/ significant wetlands in the study area Gouritz WMA Study: Wetlands 6

Wetlands: outline of approach 7 Task 1: Catchment Assessments of Wetlands and Identification of Priority Wetlands Task 2: Present Ecological State (PES) and Ecological Objectives (“Ecospecs”) for select Priority Wetlands

Wetlands: outline of approach 8 Task 1: Catchment Assessments of Wetlands and Identification of Priority Wetlands

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Outeniqua Wetland Resource Units: zones of similarly functioning wetlands (allows for extrapolation)

Wetlands: outline of approach 14 Task 1: Catchment Assessments of Wetlands and Identification of Priority Wetlands use geology, ecological information, rainfall and wetland maps to generate regions of similar wetland types (functioning) types, risks and impacts used to estimate of the average PES and EIS of the wetlands

PES A PES B PES B/C PES C PES C/D PES D Present Ecological Condition

Ecological Importance and Sensitivity

Wetlands: outline of approach 17 Task 1: Catchment Assessments of Wetlands and Identification of Priority Wetlands What/where are the key wetlands in the area? (focus of monitoring, management concern/efforts)

Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas (FEPAs)

Wetland FEPAs

Bietou Malgaate Goukou Duiwenhoeks (not FEPA) Initial priority wetlands...

Bietou Malgaate Goukou Duiwenhoeks (not FEPA, assessed in previous study) Initial priority wetlands...

Wetlands: outline of approach 22 Task 2: Rapid field assessments of key priority wetlands: - Present Ecological State (PES) - Ecological Importance - Ecological Objectives (“EcoSpecs”)

Thank you for attending Please assist with any wetland information: Names and/or location of important/ at risk sites Names and/or location of important/ at risk sites Available data (regional/municipal wetland maps) Available data (regional/municipal wetland maps) Wetland assessment/monitoring data Wetland assessment/monitoring data